How Can You Ensure Continued Wireless Connections During a Power Outage?

Many parts of hurricane-damaged Puerto Rico still struggle to transport food, water, medicine, and other crucial supplies to residents in need. One of the main issues hampering the Puerto Rican recovery isn’t just the destruction of the highways, runways, and other infrastructure needed to get supplies from one point to another, but also the damage to the satellites, cell towers, and other equipment that permits near-instant wireless communication.

While the U.S. is unlikely to sustain a natural disaster that entirely eliminates the nation’s wireless capabilities, losing home or business internet access during an extended power outage can be more than just inconvenient in today’s highly-connected society. It can be worthwhile to ensure any generator you purchase is powerful enough not only to keep your lights and appliances on, but also to maintain a strong wireless signal.

When selecting a generator that can maintain an uninterrupted connection to the nearest wireless provider, you want to consider some important factors:

Your Typical Internet Usage

If you tend to make minimal use of the internet, occasionally looking up a recipe or browsing a website, you’re likely to need much less “juice” than someone who utilizes streaming services to watch television or listen to music. Depending upon the frequency and amount of your internet use, you may want to upgrade to a slightly higher capacity generator than the one typically recommended for your home’s size.

Your Generator’s Fuel Source

Whole-house generators are often tied into a natural gas or propane tank in your backyard, allowing for a seamless transition from power-plant electricity to generator electricity. Depending on the size of your propane tank and the number of other appliances that utilize this source of power (from the HVAC system to water heater), you may not need to make any adjustments to ensure you’ll be able to maintain a wireless signal during an outage.

If, on the other hand, you’re using a gasoline-powered generator, it may be tough for you to maintain internet access if you’re also powering your refrigerator, HVAC system, or other energy-sucking appliances. You may want to consider purchasing an extra portable gasoline generator to be used exclusively for your wireless router if maintaining power is important to you.

The Frequency of Power Outages

Some parts of the country regularly experience power outages, whether due to fires, thunderstorms, or tropical storms. In other parts of the country, a power outage may only strike once every few years—or even less often. If you’re in an area with frequent power outages, installing a whole-house generator may mean spending much less time hooking up your portable generator to the appliances you’d like to power.

Although even the strongest wireless signal won’t allow you to access the internet if your service provider’s hub or access point is without power, in most cases, keeping these considerations in mind will ensure you can weather even a lengthy power outage without losing access to the internet or even media streaming services.

Following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma, particularly the death toll in several area nursing homes that lost power for weeks during this historic tropical storm, Florida Governor Rick Scott gave nursing homes and assisted living facilities just a matter of weeks to obtain standby generators and design emergency power plans to prevent similar disasters in the future. Could comparable regulations be coming to other areas prone to hurricanes, earthquakes, and other weather-related events?

Governor Scott’s directives might possibly set a precedent for regulation in other regions, especially those like Houston, which received unheard of flooding and power outages due to a natural disaster. Considering the outrage toward a Texas nursing home when a photo of its residents waist deep in water went viral, it’s important to investigate what other cities are doing to protect their elderly citizens.

With an equally devastating hurricane season, Houston should take a look at the details of Governor Scott’s directive, especially those concerning the installation of standby generators, and see what might be implemented to ensure the future safety of our elderly residents in the face of widespread flooding and power outage.

What does Governor Scott’s order require of Florida nursing homes and assisted-living facilities?

For weeks after Hurricane Irma made landfall in southern and central Florida, many residents struggled to remain cool amid sweltering heat and massive power outages. A total of 14 nursing home residents died as a direct result of this heat wave, and Governor Scott immediately ordered all assisted-living residences and nursing homes in the state to purchase standby generators and “enough fuel to take care of all their patients” for at least 96 hours during future such events. Each Florida nursing home or assisted living facility is also required to create a power plan and file it with the state.

While these requirements were certainly well-intentioned, and while having a standby generator likely would have prevented all 14 unfortunate deaths, Governor Scott gave area nursing homes just a couple of weeks to get these arrangements in place.

Non-compliant nursing homes and assisted living facilities can be fined up to $1,000 per each day they remain out of compliance or may even be subject to license revocation. Many nursing homes that were non-compliant with the original ultra-short deadline were granted an additional 60 days to make backup power arrangements.

How have nursing homes responded to this edict?

A number of nursing homes have already been placed on the non-compliance list, and lobbying organizations like the AARP and LeadingAge Florida have petitioned to extend this short timeline, arguing that the devastation caused by Irma and the other contingencies these nursing homes are dealing with make it all but impossible for them to order and install generators within the 60-day deadline.

While these lobbying organizations, as well as individual nursing home owners and operators, have indicated they’re more than willing to comply with this new directive, some indicate that the timeline is simply far too short. However, many nursing homes have been able to maintain compliance with this new rule even amid logistical challenges, and the non-compliant facilities are likely to soon follow suit.

Power outages can occur unexpectedly and for a wide variety of reasons: heavy winds, significant snowfall, and power line accidents to name just a few. An extended power outage is not merely inconvenient, either; it can actually be quite costly. By purchasing a backup generator for your home, you can ensure that you and your family have electrical power when you need it most. But what should you consider when shopping for a backup generator? How can you prepare your home (and yourself) for the day you will actually need a backup generator?

Following are some of the ways that you can ensure that you and your home are prepared for your backup generator:

Determine What Appliances and Systems You Need to Keep Powered

In general, you probably don’t need to plan to keep every light, gadget and appliance in your home powered in the case of an outage. Your refrigerator, furnace, hot water heater and lights in your main living space are probably critical; your television is probably not. Figuring out in advance what your backup generator needs to power during an outage–also known as its load–can help ensure that you choose the right size generator. Skip this step and you may end up with a generator that’s too small, leaving you with some difficult choices to make.

Set Up a Transfer Switch

Backup generators cannot simply be plugged into a wall outlet. Doing so can cause the generator’s electricity to backfeed, or travel from your home to your area’s transformer. In turn, this can seriously injure or kill any utility workers performing repairs. Instead, you must have a generator transfer switch installed in advance. This switch operates by taking your house off the electrical grid when the power is out, allowing your generator to send electricity only to your home and not back into the grid.
When shopping for a standby generator, it is best to go through a certified generator dealer to ensure that a generator transfer switch is properly installed by a licensed electrician prior to generator installation.

Figure Out What Generator Best Meets Your Expected Load and Other Needs

Understanding what your expected load is in the event of a power outage is a key component of choosing the right generator. Other issues may factor into determining what size generator you need as well. Do you live in a rural area that is often cut off from electricity for extended periods of time? Does anyone in your family have at-home medical equipment that must run throughout the day and night? These and other circumstances can dictate the need for a larger capacity generator–or even a standby generator instead.

A standby generator is considered the best way to keep power running to your home in the event of a power outage.

Practice Installing Your Generator in Advance

The worst time to try installing a portable generator for the first time is in the dark after your power has already gone out. Before the need arises, practice installing your generator so that the routine is familiar to you. Periodically testing it out is also important to ensure that it still starts when you need it. Lastly, make sure that you put your generator in a safe but convenient location: a place that is well-ventilated and far enough from your home to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, but close enough to easily refuel when needed.

If you feel as though the frequency of severe weather incidents seems to have risen since you entered the retail business, you’re right: scientists have indicated that the number of natural disasters (like fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes) around the world seems to be rising in recent decades.

With the risk of power outages increasing, having a backup generator to keep your business operational during a potentially long-term outage, possibly of several days or more, can be critical. However, the needs of a retail business can be quite different from those of a homeowner, restaurant owner, or manufacturing facility, making it important to carefully evaluate your options. Generac’s new Guardian Series generator can fulfill many of a retail business’s specific needs, and might be just what business owners have been waiting for.

What Are the Needs of a Retail Businesses During a Long-Term Power Outage?

If you’re not sure when power will be returned to your business, during your regular hours you’ll want the building to remain as bright and inviting (not to mention functional) as it was prior to the power outage. You’ll also want to ensure that power is maintained to all your most crucial circuits–such as lights, cash registers, and anti-theft detection devices–and that any power outage that happens while you’re away from your business doesn’t impact the effectiveness of your electronic security system.

This combination of needs can often spur retail business owners to invest in pricey commercial units that provide more bells and whistles than may be needed, in exchange for the “must haves” on this list. Unfortunately, the cost of fuel required to keep these immense commercial generators running at full steam can add up quickly, and those facing long-term outages may debate whether staying open to the public during this time is even financially worthwhile.

What Makes the Generac Three-Phase Generator Different?

Generac’s Guardian Series can be the answer to many retail owner’s needs; its three-phase design sips energy rather than siphoning it like many heavy-duty commercial units. Despite its relatively minimal fuel usage, this Guardian Series generator will provide power to all your designated essential circuits, ensuring you’re able to speedily check customers out while continuing to keep the lights on. At any time, you should be able to change the circuits to which your generator is providing power, allowing your energy usage to remain as efficient as possible.

The Guardian Series includes a Mobile Link remote, allowing you to power on your generator or test its status from anywhere you have access to a mobile device and signal. This can be perfect for situations where you’re away from your business but need to ensure your security system is powered on.

When it comes to fulfilling your needs as a retail business owner, an energy-efficient generator that allows you to keep tabs on your power status from just about anywhere in the country (or world) can be the ideal solution.

While many people regard power outages as mere disruptive nuisances, an extended loss of power due to a severe storm or man-made cause can actually become quite destructive and expensive. What’s more, your home doesn’t need to lose power for weeks in order for the costs to start piling up. A survey sponsored by Briggs & Stratton found that almost 70 percent of Americans who experienced a power outage of just 12 hours or more in the last two years faced unexpected expenses as a result.

Surprised? Here’s how the related costs of power outages start piling up.

The True Cost of a Power Outage

While the inconvenience of a power loss is real enough by itself, the true monetary costs that are possible when a prolonged outage hits can’t be understated. In fact, according to a report put together by Kohler Generators, American households face approximately $150 billion in power outage-related expenses each year. So where do these costs come from?

In their survey, Briggs & Stratton looked at both how common certain power outage expenses were and their average cost. The most common expense was spoiled food, which 40 percent of survey respondents faced at an average cost of $160, during just one power outage. The second most frequent cost was for emergency supplies such as flashlights, candles and firewood; 29 percent of those surveyed reported such spending at an average of $76 per household.

Facing a prolonged period of time without power, many American homeowners looked for alternate solutions. For 16 percent of the survey’s respondents, this meant picking up a portable generator with an average price tag of $650. An additional eight percent of those questioned opted to get a hotel room at $108 per night on average. In addition, 13 percent of those canvassed had to take time off of work to deal with their loss of power, resulting in an average $310 in lost wages.

The single biggest cost related to power outages, however, was property damage, reported by 11 percent of those surveyed. Power outages can cause property damage in a number of ways, from surges that can fry electronics, to burst pipes that can flood your home. According to Briggs & Stratton, the average cost of power outage-related property damage was $1,916. Of course, the potential cost can be much higher. For example, frozen or burst pipes can easily cost $10,000 to fix, while a flooded basement can cost over $20,000 to remedy.

To avoid these unexpected expenditures, many people (especially those in regions that have a high propensity of inclement weather) are choosing to prepare in advance by installing a residential standby generator. With so many affordable standby generator options, and with many companies offering financing and payment plans, it does seem like the most cost effective way to go.

Worried about the potential cost of your next power outage and ready to invest in a new residential standby generator for your home? The experienced technicians at A & A GenPro can evaluate your home and determine the best option for your needs. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a free quote.

The Newest Model of Cummins Residential Generator is Quiet, Compact, and Can Save You Money!

If you’re like many Americans, you may find yourself dealing with more frequent severe storms or power outages than you remember during past years. Indeed, NASA has determined that climate change may be making storms stronger and more capable of causing damage to electrical infrastructure, while a group from Berkeley found that power outages are lasting longer and longer these days — increasing at a rate of about 1 percent per year.

Having a reliable generator to power your home can allow you to weather storms without disrupting your daily routine or costing you hundreds of dollars in spoiled food. One of the newest generators on the market, the Cummins QuietConnect, is a residential generator that can save you money and increase your comfort during even the strongest storms.

What features does the Cummins QuietConnect generator offer?

The QuietConnect models make up the smallest of Cummins’ Connect series, with model sizes in 13kw, 17kW, and 20kW. This makes these generators about the same size as an outdoor air conditioning unit, and its compact design allows it to be installed just 1.5 feet away from your home — perfect for homes with small yards, townhouses, or other types of shared-wall housing units.

In addition to its small unobtrusive design, the QuietConnect generator has patented sound-dampening technology, allowing it to operate quietly and without disturbing neighbors or household members. This generator runs on natural gas or propane, making it much more eco-friendly than gasoline-powered generators.

Cummins is known for its ability to build powerful engines, and this generator is no exception. Despite its relatively small size and unassuming presence, it contains more than enough power-generating ability to keep your refrigerator, water heater, and other major appliances running without interruption.

How does the QuietConnect generator power your home during electrical outages?

This standby generator is designed to kick on immediately when a power outage is detected, ensuring you won’t need to worry about what will happen if your home loses power while you’re out of town. Once you’ve hooked the QuietConnect up to a source of propane or natural gas, you’ll only need to wait for the next outage to see its power in action.

Like other generators, the QuietConnect needs to “exercise” itself occasionally by turning on and briefly running to ensure it remains able to power your home during an emergency. However, unlike many generators, the QuietConnect has a flexible exercise mode, allowing you to program it to perform these tasks while you’re away from home or asleep.

By purchasing the QuietConnect, you’ll ensure you never find yourself throwing away spoiled food, dealing with dead cell phones or tablets, or facing mountains of laundry after your area experiences a multi-day power outage.

With Natural Gas Prices at Long-Term Lows, Is It A Good Time To Buy A Gas-Powered Generator?

If you utilize natural gas to heat your home, you’ve likely enjoyed the last few winters of low nationwide fuel prices, making it significantly cheaper to remain toasty all winter long. However, with summer (and its thunderstorms) around the corner, you may also be considering investing in a generator to help you power key appliances even when power lines are down. Should you take advantage of low gas prices to purchase a natural gas generator for your home? It may be time to learn more about the dip in gas prices and how you may be able to capitalize on this trend.

What factors are contributing to lower natural gas prices?

Although certain parts of the country have been hit hard by snowstorms over the last few years, other areas that are accustomed to heavy snowfall (like the northern Midwest) have had unusually mild winters, diminishing the demand for gas on a nationwide level.

The current political climate has also done its part to depress the cost of natural gas. Over the past few years as gas suppliers mined much more quickly than gas could be sold, much of it was routed to Mexico — and prices have struggled since President Trump has indicated his intent to repeal NAFTA and halt U.S. trade south of the Rio Grande. If this trade restriction goes through, it’s likely that U.S. natural gas suppliers will again find themselves dealing with an oversupply after years of lower-than-average prices, driving prices down even further.

Should you invest in a natural gas generator while prices are low?

Natural gas is a popular fuel for home generators because of its reliability and versatile storage requirements. Whole-house generators can be wired into an existing natural gas tank so that they’ll kick on as soon as a power outage is detected, ensuring you’ll never even notice when you’re dealing with an electrical interruption, while portable natural gas generators are versatile enough to power everything from a garage deep-freezer to a camper’s heating and air conditioning system.

Because natural gas can be stored indefinitely, it can often make sense to invest in a natural gas generator even when certain prices are going to rise. Storing 500 or 1,000 gallons (or more) of natural gas in an above-ground or underground holding tank can be a fairly inexpensive way to ensure you’re never without a source of emergency fuel.

Unlike gasoline or diesel fuel, which can begin degrading in quality within 90 days, long-term storage of natural gas won’t cause the molecular bonds that assist combustion to dissolve. By choosing an efficient generator and installing a large natural gas holding tank, you may be able to make a single tank fill last for years or even decades of intermittent generator use.

If you’re thinking about taking advantage of these dropping natural gas prices and investing in a residential generator, contact the skilled technicians at A & A GenPro, Inc. for a free quote.

No matter where you live, having emergency backup power should be an essential part of your home. Power outages can happen at any time and for a variety of reasons, from simple electrical malfunctions, to bad weather, to natural disasters. A standby generator can keep you and your family comfortable and secure. These generators are an investment, so you’ll want to make sure you choose a unit that fits your household needs.

Five Features to Look for in a Standby Generator:

1. Automatic Shutoff

Don’t underestimate this important safety feature for high capacity standby generators. An automatic shutoff will turn the unit off if it begins to overheat. Similarly, a generator with this switch will automatically turn itself on in the event of a power outage, so you wont have to find a light-source and manually turn on the generator yourself.

2. Type of Enclosure

Standby generators typically sit outside of your house and will need to be made of a sturdy material that can withstand many years of use and harsh weather or environmental damage. Look for brands with an enclosure made out of steel or a corrosion resistant composite material. If sound is a concern, you may be able to build an additional enclosure around your generator unit, but be sure to consult with the installer first about the specifics.

3. Warranty and Delivery

Before purchasing a generator, take a close look at the fine print in the warranty. Most manufactures offer a warranty of 4 or 5 years, so make sure you’re happy with the coverage before purchasing. You also need to factor in the delivery method. Standby generators are very large and heavy units. Be sure to purchase from a qualified dealer that offers delivery, installation, and maintenance services.

4. Generator Capacity

This is the most important feature to consider when purchasing a new generator. First, work out what your home’s total power needs are. Then decide whether you need a backup power source to cover everything, or if a smaller capacity unit will do to keep household essentials on.

Smaller standby generators have a capacity of 20kW, and units up to 50kW are available. Generac, one of the nation’s leading generator manufacturers, offers a handy tool for estimating the amount of capacity required, depending on a home’s size and equipment needs. For instance, the recommendation for a whole house switch for a 2,500ft home is 22kW.

5. Fuel Source

Large capacity standby generators run on either natural gas or propane. Natural gas is the preferred choice and is slightly less expensive. If a gas line isn’t available in your area, however, you can schedule delivery and installation of a propane tank.

If you’re thinking about investing in a standby generator for your home or business, contact A & A GenPro today. Our skilled technicians can help you evaluate your space, and gauge what size and level of generator you need.

Imagine that it’s New Year’s Eve. The house is full of guests waiting to watch the ball drop in New York on TV and toast each other for the coming year. All of the sudden, the wind picks up, the lights flicker, and then the power goes completely out, just in time to ruin everyone’s evening. Meanwhile, the food in the fridge is spoiling and the temperature in the house is dropping.

Unless, of course, you planned ahead by purchasing a generator, in which case you holiday celebration is back on the table in no time!

Portable generators are good for a temporary fix in some cases, and great for camping, but a stationary generator is ready to keep your home or business going without many of the inherent hassles of a portable. If your power goes off, you don’t have to do a thing: your standby generator will kick on automatically. Stationary generators also tend to be more powerful and are a great deal less fuss once they’ve been installed, so long as they are properly maintained. Moreover, they tend to make far less noise than the roar of a portable generator.

Read on to learn more about the right generator for you and your family.

Best Bang for Your Buck

The Generac Guardian Series 20-kW is one of the most popular standby generators today, and for good reason: its price is reasonable, yet it’s powerful enough to run most homes in case of a blackout, and can even be used to keep a small business going. With a lag time of only 15 seconds between blackout and the restoration of power, it’s one of the most efficient models on the market. The Generac Guardian Series 20-kW also has some of the most satisfied customers, with a 4.8/5 in customer satisfaction on Generac’s home page. Generac also offers a very solid warranty packages, which can give you peace of mind about your purchase.

Quietest Generator

The Cummins Onan RS Series generators come in 20-kW, 30-kW, and 50-kW models, all of which run whisper-quiet. The 20-kW is best for apartments or small homes, the 30-kW can support a medium-sized house or a small business, and the 50-kW can run very large homes and a bustling business with quiet efficiency. These standby generators are also encased in very durable, neutral-colored casing that will blend into the background of your home or business.

Most Fuel-Efficient

The most fuel efficient series of stationary generator is the Generac Quietsource Series. Not only are these generators as quiet as their name implies, they also consume far less fuel than their equally powerful brethren. These generators save money on fuel while prolonging the life of your engine.

A backup generator is a necessity in every home, especially in areas where blackouts are more common. Why wait hours or days for the electric company to find a downed cable, when you can keep your family safe and comfortable by investing in a backup generator today? Don’t be left out in the cold this winter — purchase a generator before you need one!

For a limited time A&A GenPro, Inc is offering special financing – Up to 18 months of NO interest & No payments, $1,500.00 off the purchase of a generator, electrical transfer switch equipment, and installation, with a free whole home surge protector- installed ($450.00 value) & 1 Year free of preventive maintenance ($425.00 value). This promotion is offered on all major brands we carry like Cummins, Kohler or Generac. The purchases must be made by December 15th 2016 and include a complete installation of the equipment. Additional Generator specials and promotions are available, contact us for further details at 713-830-3280. Approval of Financing is based on the banks terms and conditions. A&A Genpro does not play a role in approval or denial of loan/financing applications.

How to Prepare Your Home for a Backup Power Generator

Everything You Need to Know Before Your Generator Installer Arrive
By purchasing a backup generator for your home, you can ensure that you and your family have electrical power when you need it most. But what should you consider when shopping for a backup generator? How can you prepare your home (and yourself) for the day you will actually need a backup generator? Is there anything specific you need to do before purchasing or installing a Kohler, Generac, or Cummins generator?
Following are some of the ways that you can ensure that you and your home are prepared for your backup generator...
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